Hyderabad: On the eve of her 25th birthday, R Nandhini, a software engineer, fell victim to a gruesome murder in Thalambur, near Kelambakkam on the southern outskirts of Chennai. Vetrimaran, a childhood classmate who had undergone a sex-change operation, was arrested in connection with the crime.
Nandhini and Vetrimaran shared a history of friendship from their school days in Madurai. The arrest came after Nandhini rejected Vetrimaran's proposals, straining their relationship. Despite the fallout, they maintained sporadic communication, according to The Times of India.
Eight months before the murder, Nandhini, an IT graduate, had secured a job in Chennai. Vetrimaran, formerly known as Pandi Murugeshwari, invited her for an outing, where he eventually attacked her in a remote location near Tambaram.
During the meeting, Vetrimaran restrained Nandhini, slit her neck and arms with a knife, and set her on fire after pouring fuel on her. Despite her desperate attempts to survive, Nandhini succumbed to her injuries. Vetrimaran fled the scene but was later apprehended by the police.
In his statement, Vetrimaran admitted to murdering Nandhini due to resentment over her refusal to enter a relationship. Despite undergoing a sex-change operation, Nandhini had made it clear that they had no future together. Vetrimaran is currently in judicial detention, and investigations are ongoing.
